1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a thermosiphon assembly for dissipating heat generated by an electronic component using a working fluid. Specifically, the subject invention relates to a thermosiphon that is operable in any position between horizontal and vertical.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various related art thermosiphon assemblies include an evaporator having a front face, a rear face, and a peripheral wall extending between the front face and the rear face. The peripheral wall defines a chamber containing the working fluid. A heat block is in contact with the front face for transferring generated heat from the electronic component to the working fluid to vaporize the working fluid. The assemblies also include a condenser in fluid communication with the chamber and connected to the rear face for condensing the vaporized working fluid back to a liquid and delivering the liquefied working fluid back to the chamber.
One such assembly, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,292, discloses a thermosiphon assembly being operable in a vertical position and a horizontal position. The assembly has an evaporator chamber in fluid communication with a condenser. The chamber is rectangularly shaped having right angles between the faces and the sides. The chamber requires a large volume of working fluid to ensure that the electronic components are covered in both the horizontal and vertical positions because it is rectangularly shaped. The large volume of working fluid does not dissipate the generated heat efficiently because it takes longer for the working fluid to heat up. The inadequate heat dissipation may result in a shorter life for the electronic component.
Another assembly, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,772, discloses a thermosiphon assembly having an evaporator, a condenser, a plurality of tubes interconnecting the evaporator and the condenser. However, in each of the disclosed embodiments the tubes are at right angles to the evaporator and the condenser. Therefore, the assembly requires large amounts of space in the electronic components for operation because of the separation between the condenser and the evaporator. Further, when the assembly is in the horizontal position, a large amount of working fluid is required and does not dissipate heat as efficiently. When the assembly is in the vertical position, the working fluid can flow into the connecting tubes, which decreases the ability of the assembly to dissipate heat because the condenser has less area to condense the vaporized working fluid.
Yet another assembly, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,929, discloses a thermosiphon assembly having a heat block with tubes extending therefrom. Each of the tubes is sealed with a working fluid disposed therein. The tube has an evaporator portion in contact with the heat block acting as an evaporator and a condenser portion extending beyond the heat block acting as a condenser. The tube may be angled between the evaporator region and the condenser region. This assembly does not ensure that the electronic components are covered with the working fluid in any position between horizontal and vertical, because the working fluid is only contained in each of the tubes. In the vertical position, the evaporator portion would have to be completely filled to cover the electronic components, but then in the horizontal position, the liquid working fluid would flow into the condenser portion. Also, there are spaces between the tubes where the electronic components are not in contact with the working fluid, because the tubes are narrow compared to the heat block. Therefore, heat dissipation from the electronic components is not evenly distributed throughout the heat block which may impact the performance of the electronic components.
These related art thermosiphon assemblies are characterized by one or more inadequacies. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a thermosiphon assembly that ensures complete coverage of the electronic components in any position between horizontal and vertical. It would also be advantageous to provide a thermosiphon assembly that evenly distributes the generated heat to the working fluid.
The subject invention provides a thermosiphon assembly for dissipating heat generated by an electronic component using a working fluid. The assembly includes an evaporator having a front face and a rear face. A peripheral wall extends between the front face and the rear face for defining a chamber containing the working fluid. A heat block is in contact with the front face for transferring generated heat from the electronic component to the working fluid for vaporizing the working fluid. A condenser is in fluid communication with the chamber and connected to the rear face for condensing the vaporized working fluid back to a liquid and delivering the liquefied working fluid back to the chamber. The assembly includes an acute angle between the front face and the peripheral wall such that the chamber extends upwardly at an angle from the front face to the rear face for ensuring complete coverage of the electronic component with the working fluid when the heat block is in any position between vertical and horizontal.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a thermosiphon assembly that ensures complete coverage of the electronic components in any position between horizontal and vertical and that evenly distributes the generated heat to the working fluid.